An apparatus includes a linear feeding-unit having a first linear section and a transfer device that transfers containers, as a group, from the linear feeding-unit to a clocked processing-machine and an entry device having a main feeding-unit distribution-stars. The first distribution-star receives containers from the main feeding-unit at a first transfer-region and transfers and the second distribution-star receives containers from the main feeding-unit at a second transfer-region. A periphery of the first distribution-star comprises a receiving section that receives containers from the main feeding-unit and an empty section interrupts receiving of the containers. The empty section is devoid of supporting-and-retaining elements. However, the receiving section comprises as many supporting-and-retaining elements as there are containers in the container group.

A divider system for diverting objects from an infeed lane into one or more discharge lanes includes a dividing screw set, a discharge screw set, and a diverting mechanism. The dividing screw set conveys a sequence of objects to an output end of the screw set where the objects are divided by rotation of the dividing screw set and outputted alternately to first and second discharge screws of the discharge screw set to form a first series of objects conveyed by the first discharge screw and a second series of objects conveyed by the second discharge screw. The divider system includes a diverting mechanism which can be selectively actuated to divert objects from one discharge screw to the other discharge screw to form a diverted group.

A divider system for diverting objects from an infeed lane into one or more discharge lanes includes a dividing screw set, a discharge screw set, and a diverting mechanism. The dividing screw set conveys a sequence of objects to an output end of the screw set where the objects are divided by rotation of the dividing screw set and outputted alternately to first and second discharge screws of the discharge screw set to form a first series of objects conveyed by the first discharge screw and a second series of objects conveyed by the second discharge screw. The divider system includes a diverting mechanism which can be selectively actuated to divert objects from one discharge screw to the other discharge screw to form a diverted group.

A product selection and grouping system for the metering, selection, grouping and accumulation of varying size and/or configuration products into packs for packing in a substantially continuous motion operation is provided. The product selection and grouping system includes a metering station that receives the products in a substantially continuous line of flow from a product infeed, and meters the line of products to selectively form a series of spaces therebetween. The metered products are formed and fed to a product grouping conveyor in groups of sets a selected number of products, and are engaged by laning flights of a laning unit, which transfer the product groups to selected ones of a series of lanes defined along the product grouping conveyor. The groups of products are accumulated for transfer to a downstream packing machine.

A product selection and grouping system for the metering, selection, grouping and accumulation of varying size and/or configuration products into packs for packing in a substantially continuous motion operation is provided. The product selection and grouping system includes a metering station that receives the products in a substantially continuous line of flow from a product infeed, and meters the line of products to selectively form a series of spaces therebetween. The metered products are formed and fed to a product grouping conveyor in groups of sets a selected number of products, and are engaged by laning flights of a laning unit, which transfer the product groups to selected ones of a series of lanes defined along the product grouping conveyor. The groups of products are accumulated for transfer to a downstream packing machine.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for grouping containers, comprising: a first conveyor belt for transporting the containers in a first transport direction; a second conveyor belt; a container receiving device; a transfer device, which is designed to transfer at least some of the containers from the first conveyor belt to the second conveyor belt transversely to the first transport direction and to transfer at least some of the containers transferred to the second conveyor belt to the container receiving device transversely to the first transport direction; and a motor device, in particular a long stator motor device, which is designed to move the transfer device for transferring a container.

A case orienting system comprising a frame having a reference datum a traverse transport pivotally coupled to the frame about a traverse pivot axis, the traverse transport including a substantially continuous movable platform configured to support and transport at least one case in a case traverse direction along a traverse axis. The substantially continuous movable platform pivots about the traverse pivot axis to orient the case traverse direction to another traverse direction and a bias support disposed adjacent to and opposing the traverse transport and being movably coupled to the frame to move relative to the frame in opposition to the traverse transport, the bias support being configured to engage and seat against a seating surface of the at least one case to support the at least one case in a first orientation relative to the reference datum.

Provided are a parcel sorting system and method. The parcel sorting system is arranged in layers and includes: a parcel sorting layer (10) located on an upper layer of the parcel sorting system, a moveable container carrying layer (11) located on a lower layer of the parcel sorting system, a parcel delivery robot (12) and a control device (13). The parcel sorting layer (10) includes a modular entity platform (101) is a physical platform formed by splicing multiple splicable units and used for sorting parcels. The modular entity platform (101) includes multiple delivery lattices (1011) arranged in an array and a traveling area constituted by gaps between the multiple delivery lattices (1011) and used for the parcel delivery robot (12) traveling. One delivery lattices (1011) corresponds to one or more delivery path directions. The moveable container carrying layer (11) includes multiple moveable containers (110), and a part of the movable containers are located below the multiple delivery lattices (1011) and receive the parcel from the parcel sorting layer (10).

Provided are a parcel sorting system and method. The parcel sorting system is arranged in layers and includes: a parcel sorting layer (10) located on an upper layer of the parcel sorting system, a moveable container carrying layer (11) located on a lower layer of the parcel sorting system, a parcel delivery robot (12) and a control device (13). The parcel sorting layer (10) includes a modular entity platform (101) is a physical platform formed by splicing multiple splicable units and used for sorting parcels. The modular entity platform (101) includes multiple delivery lattices (1011) arranged in an array and a traveling area constituted by gaps between the multiple delivery lattices (1011) and used for the parcel delivery robot (12) traveling. One delivery lattices (1011) corresponds to one or more delivery path directions. The moveable container carrying layer (11) includes multiple moveable containers (110), and a part of the movable containers are located below the multiple delivery lattices (1011) and receive the parcel from the parcel sorting layer (10).

A singulating system for parcels comprises: an inner wall; a first section comprised of a series of driven rollers, which are skewed relative to a longitudinal direction of travel, so that the parcels are conveyed not only in the longitudinal direction of travel, but also toward the inner wall; a second section for receiving the parcels from the first section, and then identifying and moving parcels in a side-by-side arrangement and/or parcels with an irregular shape; and a third section for receiving the parcels from the second section. In some embodiments, the singulating system also includes a visioning subsystem, including a camera for acquiring image data of the parcels as the parcels move toward or into the second section, and a computer to receive and analyze the image data from the camera to identify parcels in a side-by-side arrangement and/or parcels with an irregular shape.